The Saint Paul Building Instructions for Assembly of The Saint Paul Building. Kit Contents: 65 each laser cut acrylic parts. 1 each sheet of AC roof unit parts. 1 each sidewalk. 3 each Window Glass Templates, 3 each Window Glazing, 1 each instructions with diagrams. Thank you for purchasing this kit. Please read these instructions completely before beginning and take your time. Allow parts to dry after painting or gluing and do not try to build this in one night. Drawings of all the parts have been included for ease of part identification. Practice gluing the acrylic together if you have never done it before. There is plenty of scrap in your kit that you can use for this. If by chance a part is missing or broken, please write us indicating the kit name and part number and we will send you a replacement. You will need the following items to assemble your model: Sharp hobby knife, file, paint (see Painting Your Model ), paint brushes, glue (see Gluing Acrylic ), modeling putty. About the Kit This kit will build an 8 story building. The kit is built up in modules labeled as units. There are four units in all. Some units are two stories while others are more. The units stack on top of each other when completed. The assembly of each unit is very similar. Once you have built the first unit you will most likely be able to build the rest with out reading the instructions. However... I spent a lot of time writing the instructions so I would appreciate it if you would. Repetitive sequences will be described in detail the first time and then less so subsequently. Parts are labeled in the instructions inside parentheses. The first number is the unit number and the second is the part number in that unit. For instance (3-6) would be part six in unit three. Each unit has a base and top that are identified with a letter. As these are the same for multiple units there is no unit number associated with these.
Many parts have engraved details on them. Be sure that these are facing out when glueing the parts together. It is easy install these backwards by mistake. Gluing Acrylic Always glue acrylic in a well-ventilated area, and read the glue manufacturer s label for instructions. We recommend using Tenax-7R by Hebco or Plastruct brand Plastic Weld Solvent Cement (PPC-2 or PPC-16) or Bondine Solvent Cement (Bond-2 or BOND-16). Tenax-7R comes with a dispenser and Plastruct sells a Solvent Syringe (HT-8 or HT-10) and various other solvent dispensers. Most hobby shops carry these products or they may be ordered directly from Hebco (931)-796-7442 or Plastruct (626)-912-7016. Acrylic must be glued together using a solvent that will melt the two edges and literally fuse them together. To do this, place the two pieces to be joined together and run a bead of solvent down the edge. Capillary action will suck the solvent into the joint and after several seconds the pieces will be fused. After only a few minutes the pieces will be strong enough to work with. The bond will be completely dry within twenty four hours using the above-mentioned products. Solvent can be dispensed two ways. Typically the solvent comes in a small bottle with a brush in the lid. The brush allows you to dispense a drop or two of solvent at a time. You may want to use a polyethylene bottle or syringe with a blunt needle dispenser. This allows larger amounts of solvent to be dispensed quickly and cleanly. Be sure the bottle you are using is approved for the solvent you are using or you may melt through it. These may be purchased from CMR. Preparing Your Model for Painting We recommend lightly sanding all parts to remove the raised edge created during the laser cutting process. In order to hide the seams we recommend using hobbyist putty such as Green Squadron modeling putty. Do this in a very well ventilated area. Apply the putty over the seams; allow to dry overnight. Once the putty has dried, place a sheet of fine sandpaper on a flat surface and sand smooth. You may need to apply a second coat of putty and sand again. You may choose the wrap the engraved lines around the corners with a small triangular jewelers file.
Painting Your Model For our building paint scheme, we used Krylon Medium Brown Camouflage and Krylon Brown Camouflage spray paint which is available in most hardware stores. We also used Poly Scale Acrylics for details and weathering, these are available in most hobby shops. Always test compatibility of your paint with the acrylic by painting and testing a small area first. We painted the building medium brown and the windows brown. The building was sprayed after each unit was completed. We then made a khaki wash with poly scale paints. The building units were laid flat with a wall facing up and the wash was applied and allowed to dry. The unit was then rotated to the next wall and the process was repeated, and so on. Finally we air brushed the back walls with a dirty black mix so that they would be darker. Note on Tabs Sometimes it is necessary to sand or file the tabs slightly in order to get them to seat themselves into the slots. This is due to slight variations in acrylic thickness. If the tabs are not fitting into the properly slots you may need to file them back at an angle to fit properly. Window Glass There are printed window shades included with your kit. These are designed to be laminated with acetate window glazing prior to installing in your model. The printed window shades are numbered to correspond with the window frame parts. Lightly spray glue the window shade pages on the printed side with spray mount and apply a sheet of acetate to them. Press in place and trim out just inside the printed lines. Do not trim out the tabs, cut them off. We used 3M Spray Mount part number 6065 which is available at craft and office supply stores. Glue these to the back of the window frames using super glue (CA) after you have assembled and painted them as noted in the instructions. After glueing the window glazing to the window frames, place the assembly face up on a cutting matt and trim off any excess glazing with a hobby knife. See figure 1. Figure 1
Assembling the Tower Units This structure is asymmetrical in that opposite sides do not match one another in detail and character. There are two detailed sides, or street sides, which have engraving and multiple layers built-up to create depth. The shorter of these sides will be referred to as the front, and the longer as the side. Note that the bases on these sides are wider. The two remaining sides are less decorative, have fewer windows, and the base on these sides is narrower. The shorter of these sides will be referred to as the back, and the longer as the alley. Figure 2 shows base part A face up with the first set of wall parts ready to install into their appropriate places. See figure 2 Figure 2 Please note that all pieces referred to as bases and tops (parts A, B, C, & D) should have the part number facing up during assembly unless otherwise noted. This is the correct orientation to insure that the tabs on the wall parts fit into will be facing the right direction. Window Orientation. The tabs on the wall parts are symmetrical, we recommend assembling the walls the way we have shown, however you may choose to flip the back and alley sides if the window arrangement works better for you. Just be sure to be consistent with this and flip your window frames as well.
Unit 1 Begin by taking base (A) and laying it flat on your work surface with the engraved part number facing up. Insert the tabs of the front wall (1-1) into the slots on the front side of part (A) and glue in place (see figure 1 for orientation). Note that the tabs on the top and bottom of the wall parts are different sizes and positions, and the walls will only fit into part (A) in one direction. Next, insert the tabs of the side wall (1-2) into the slots on the side of part (A) and glue in place. The two walls should meet and be glued at the corner. Insert the tabs of the back wall (1-3) into the slots on the back side of part (A) and glue in place. Then, insert the tabs of the alley wall (1-4) into the slots on the alley side of part (A) and glue in place to form a box. Make sure to glue all the corners together. See figure 3. Figure 3 Glue the top (B) onto the assembly with the engraved part number facing up. Check that all the tabs are seated properly. See figure 4. Now that the basic wall structure is together, the front and side walls get built out. Insert the tabs of part (1-5) into the slots on the front side of part (A). The tabs will be inserted at a slight angle, and once in place the piece will tip back into place under the overhang of part (B). Glue into place. Next insert the tabs of part (1-6) into the slots on the side wall of part (A) and glue into place. See Figure 5. The built-up decorative facades of the front and side walls wrap slightly around the corners onto their respective adjacent plain wall. This is done on the back wall by gluing one part (1-7) on the left side corner, keeping the corner flush. On the alley wall this is achieved by gluing part (1-7) on the right side corner. See figure 6. Figure 4 Figure 5
When gluing the next pieces into place, take care to note that all the corners should be flush and that the engraved sides are facing out. This will save you time from having to file overhangs or fill gaps. Insert the tabs of part (1-8) into the slots on part (A) on the front of the building. See figure 7. Insert the tabs of part (1-9) into the slots of part (A) on the side of the building. See figure 8. For the next step make certain that parts (1-10) are the right side up before gluing in place. The engraving on part (1-10) should match the lines on the adjacent parts (1-8) and (1-9). Attach parts (1-10) on the back and alley sides of the building. They should be flush with the corners. Make sure that the corners meet before glueing. See figure 8. Fill and sand the corners of the assembly if necessary. You may choose the wrap the engraved lines around the corners with a small triangular jewelers file. See Preparing your Model for Painting. Paint the unit and set aside to dry. Figure 6 Figure 7 Paint the window frames (1-11), (1-12), (1-13), and (1-14) your choice of color and install the window glazing as described earlier. When gluing in parts (1-11) and (1-12), make certain that the engraved side is facing out. Install part (1-11) behind the front wall, part (1-12) behind the side wall, part (1-13) behind the back wall, and part (1-14) behind the alley wall. See Figure 10. Figure 8 Figure 10 - Unit 1 is complete and the windows are being installed.
Unit 2 Begin by taking base (C) and laying it flat on your work surface with the engraved part number facing up. Insert the front wall (2-1) into the slots of the front side of part (C) and glue in place with the engraved side facing out. Note that the tabs on the top and bottom of the wall parts are different sizes and positions, and the parts will only fit into part (C) in one direction. Next, insert the side wall (2-2) into the slots on the side of part (C) and glue in place with the engraved side facing out. The two walls should meet and be glued at the corner. Insert the back wall (2-3) into the slots on the back side of part (C) and glue in place. Then, insert the alley wall (2-4) into the slots on the alley side of part (C) and glue in place to form a box. Make sure to glue all the corners together, as well. Glue the top (D) onto the assembly with the engraved part number facing up. Check that all the tabs are seated properly. See figure 11 & 12. Figure 11 Now that the basic wall structure is together, the front and side walls get built out. Insert the tabs of part (2-5) into the slots on the front side of part (C), and glue into place with the engraved side facing out. The tabs will be inserted at a slight angle and once in place the piece will tip back into place under the overhang of part (D). Next insert the tabs of part (2-6) into the slots on the side wall of part (C) and glue into place with the engraved side facing out. See figure 13. The built-up decorative facades of the front and side walls wrap slightly around the corners onto their respective adjacent plain wall. This is done on the back wall by gluing one part (2-7) on the left side corner, keeping the corner flush. On the alley wall this is achieved by gluing part (2-7) on the right side corner. See figure 14. Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14
When gluing the next pieces into place, take care to note that all the corners should be flush and that the engraved sides are facing out. This will save you time from having to file overhangs or fill gaps. Glue two parts (2-8) to the side of the building. Center one part each over the left and right windows. They should be flush with the corners of the building. See figure 15. Next, attach parts (2-9) on the back and alley sides of the building. They should be flush with the corners. Make certain that both parts (2-9) are right side up by noting that bottom brick is narrow. See figure 16. Figure 15 Next glue two parts (2-8) to the front of the building. Center one part each over the left and right windows. They should be flush with the corners. See figure 15. Fill and sand the corners of the assembly if necessary. You may choose to wrap the engraved lines around the corners with a small triangular jewelers file. Paint the unit and set aside to dry. Figure 16 Paint the window frames (2-10), (2-11), (2-12), and (2-13) your choice if color and install the window glazing as described earlier. Install part (2-10) behind the front wall, part (2-11) behind the side wall, part (2-12) behind the back wall, and part (2-13) behind the alley wall. See figure 17. Figure 17 - Unit 2 completed.
Unit 3 Begin by taking base (C) and laying it flat on your work surface with the engraved part number facing up. Insert the front wall (3-1) in to the slots front side of part (C) and glue in place with the engraved side facing out. Next insert the side wall (3-2) into the slots on the side of part (C) and glue in place with the engraved side facing out. The two walls should meet and be glued at the corner. Insert the back wall (3-3) into the slots on the back side of part (C) and glue in place. Then insert the alley wall (3-4) into the slots on the alley side of part (C) and glue in place to form a box. Make sure to glue all the corners together, as well. Glue the top (D) onto the assembly with the engraved part number facing up. Check that all the tabs are seated properly. See Figures 18 & 19. Now that the basic wall structure is together, the front and side walls get built out. Insert the tabs of part (3-5) into the slots on the front side of part (C), and glue into place with the engraved side facing out. The tabs will be inserted at a slight angle and once in place the piece will tip back into place under the overhang of part (D). Insert the tabs of part (3-6) into the slots on the side wall of part (C) and glue into place with the engraved side facing out. See Figure 20. Figure 18 Figure 19 The built-up decorative facades of the front and side walls wrap slightly around the corners onto their respective adjacent plain wall. This is done on the back wall by gluing one part (3-7) on the left side corner, keeping the corner flush. On the alley wall this is achieved by gluing part (3-7) on the right side corner. See figure 21. Figure 20 Figure 21
When gluing the next pieces into place, take care to note that all the corners should be flush and that the engraved sides are facing out. This will save you time from having to file overhangs or fill gaps. Glue two parts (3-8) to the side of the building. Center one part each over the left and right windows. They should be flush with the corners of the building. See figure 22. Next, attach parts (3-9) on the back and alley sides of the building. They should be flush with the corners. Make certain that both parts (3-9) are right side up by noting that bottom brick is narrow. See figure 23. Figure 22 Fill and sand the corners of the assembly if necessary. You may choose the wrap the engraved lines around the corners with a small triangular jewelers file. Paint the unit and set aside to dry. Paint the window frames (3-10), (3-11), (3-12), and (3-13) your choice if color and install the window glazing as described earlier. Install part (3-10) behind part (3-1), part (3-11) behind part (3-2), part (3-12) behind part (3-3), and part (3-13) behind part (3-4). See figure 24. Figure 23 Figure 24 - Unit 3 completed.
Top This is the top of the building and comprises of the roof and uppermost walls. Lay part (F) with the part number facing up. Glue part (G) on top of this. There is an engraved rectangle on part (G) that should also be facing up. Make sure that the two parts are perfectly flush all the way around. Now turn the assembly over and glue part (E) to the bottom of (F). Center it all the way around. Flip the assembly back over so that part G is on top. Glue balustrade parts (4-1) and (4-2) on top of part (G) by inserting the tabs into the appropriate slots. Glue the roof hatch (4-3) over the engraved rectangle on part (G). See Figure 27. Parts (F) and (G) have been glued together and part (E) is ready to attach. The roof is assembled and the balustrade parts are ready to install. Figure 27 - Unit 4 completed Fill and sand the corners of the assembly if necessary. Paint the unit and set aside to dry Air Conditioning Units If desired you may build the air conditioning units for the roof. Construction schematics may be found in the parts sections of these instructions. See figure 28. Figure 28
Assembling the Building Now that you have built all of the building units, it is time to assemble them. Make sure that the bottom and top of each unit is perfectly flat and smooth. Sand or file any imperfections off as necessary. It will be easier to glue the units together upside down. Begin with the roof Unit 4 upside down on your work table and glue Unit 3 to it upside down as well. You can run a bead of glue along the cornice where the two pieces meet. Continue gluing the units together in this fashion making sure that everything is straight and true as you go along. See figure 29. Figure 29 Once completed touch up any glue and paint imperfections along the cornices. Paint the roof flat black and install the air conditioning units. Paint the provided sidewalk concrete. We weathered the front and side of the building with a khaki wash and the back and alley sides with a dark wash. Your building is finished and ready to install on your layout. You may add lights and other details. We thank you for purchasing this kit from CMR and hope that you have enjoyed building it. Be sure to see our other kits at www.cmrtrain.com.